Maybe I should retract my last post.  Nothing about this seems charming at all.

The levees have begun to fail, and even the French Quarter, which had been left relatively unscathed by Katrina's initial blast, is starting to flood.  Some neighborhoods are under up to 20 feet of water.

You should check out interdictor, by the way.  He's been posting live updates since Sunday night, and has a cam up as well.  I note with grim satisfaction the irony of using digital-age technology to drive home the near-apocalyptic survival conditions that the city faces at the moment.

He just updated again, noting that water is beginning to flow into the central business district.

Even the cops have joined in the looting.

EDIT: Apparently the permalink is tempo; text is ( here: )

“It must be legal . . . The police are here taking stuff, too.”

You have to laugh, right?  Right?

I hate my species.

Children's Hospital under seige
Tuesday, 11:45 p.m

Late Tuesday, Gov. Blanco spokeswoman Denise Bottcher described a disturbing scene unfolding in uptown New Orleans, where looters were trying to break into Children's Hospital.

Bottcher said the director of the hospital fears for the safety of the staff and the 100 kids inside the hospital. The director said the hospital is locked, but that the looters were trying to break in and had gathered outside the facility.

The director has sought help from the police, but, due to rising flood waters, police have not been able to respond.

Bottcher said Blanco has been told of the situation and has informed the National Guard. However, Bottcher said, the National Guard has also been unable to respond.

***

It's like an entire city is dying before my eyes.